The present invention relates to catheters.
A various assortment of catheters, such as Foley catheters and endotracheal tubes, have been proposed for use on patients. In the case of Foley catheters, a distal end of the catheter is passed through the urethra in the patient until an inflatable balloon located adjacent the distal end of the catheter is positioned in the patient's bladder, and the balloon is then inflated in order to retain the catheter in place in the patient. During catheterization, urine drains from the bladder through drainage eyes adjacent the distal end of the catheter, through a drainage lumen in the catheter, and through a drainage tube connected to a proximal end of the catheter into a collection bag for retention therein.
Although such catheters are generally satisfactory for their intended use, it has been found that when certain materials are utilized for the catheter balloon and shaft, such as latex rubber or silicone, the balloon tends to adhere to the catheter shaft at the time of use, particularly in instances where there has been some delay between the date of manufacture and date of use of the catheter, e.g., 5 to 6 months. In certain cases, the entire balloon adheres to the shaft with sufficient tack to prevent inflation of the balloon. In other cases, certain areas of the balloon stick to the shaft, resulting in distortion of the balloon when it is inflated.